ACTIVATED CARBON

CONTENTS
 SECTION I

1.1 General Details

Activated carbon is an inert material with porous structure. It is broadly classified on the
basis of the following two applications.

1. Those used for adsorption of gases and vapours. (granular and material)

2. Those used for purification of liquids (usually powdered materials)

Activated carbon can be manufactured from wood, peat, hard coal and coconut shell.

1.2 Grades

Activated Carbon is generally produced in the following grades namely powder, granular
pellatised grade and pharmaceutical grade.
Powder grade Used in batch type liquid systems

Granular and pelletised grade Used in vapour adsorbing gaseous systems.

Pharmaceutical Grades : Most Pharmaceutical Grades of carbon are made

from Pinewood Charcoals, as they have very low
ash and acid solubles.

1.3 Physical Properties

Porosity Porosity and the pore structure are the most

important characteristics of Activated carbon.
Size Size of the micropores is the deciding factor in
selective absorption.

Atleast two systems of pores of distinctly

different sizes exist in every carbon particle.

Macropores (1000 to 2600 Deg A) : Acts as

large access ways for diffusion of particles.

Micropores (10 to 100 deg A) Contributes

towards large surface area which are
responsible for absorption action.
Surface area From 200 to 2000 sq.m.per gram, depending
upon the method and manner of preparation.
Adsorption behaviour Depending on the process of activation, i.e.
steam, as or chemically activated, the
Activated Carbon differ in their adsorption
behaviour.
1.4 Product Specification

Chemical parameters Acid washed Unwashed

Moisture(%) max. 10 10
Methylene value(min) 270 280
KMnO4(min) 60 60
Iodine value 1100 1100
Ash(%) max. 3 NA
Fe ppm 200 1000
pH 6.5 to 7.2 Adjustable
Chlorine(%) max 0.4 NA
Sulphate(%) max 0.4 NA
Phosphate Nil Nil
Acid soluble matter(%) 1.5 5
Water soluble(%) 0.5 4
Bulk density 4 to 6 gm/cc 4-6 gm/cc
2.1 General Details

Activated carbon is a unique and effective agent for purification and for isolation and
recovery of trace materials.

During the last two to three decades, treatment with active carbon has become an
important unit process for separations and purifications in the food, pharmaceuticals,
sugar, chemical and other processing industries.

2.2 Nature of applications

Removal of colour or odour, oxidising chemicals, compounds responsible for foaming,

metallic ions which constitute impurity and invisible impurities,

To improve product stability and to provide better cystallisation.

For recovery of valuable materials,

To enhance purity, to improve the appearance of product and to act as barrier to prevent
migration of colour bodies.

2.3 Gradewise application

Grade Sector

Powdered Activated carbon Vegetable oils, fats, sugar, water treatment,

pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and food
products.
Granular Activated carbon Automotive canisters, air purification,
chemical and pharmaceutical industry.
Pelletised Activated carbon Solvent recovery, catalyst application etc
There are around 50 producers of Activated Carbon in the country, mostly in Medium and
SSI sector, which include the following

Indian producers

* Unichar International, Goa

* Anil Starch Products Ltd.,Gujarat
* Amar Carbon , Rajpipla
* Baroda Carbons Limited,Baroda
* J.C.Chemical Industries, Surat
* Mahavir Industrial Corporation,Ahmedabad
* Nikhil Intermediates Pvt. Ltd , Gujarat
* Raj Carbons Pvt.Ltd.,Gujarat
* Shri Rajpipla Amar Carbon & Chemical Industries,Dist.Bharuch
* Unique Carbon and Chemicals, Gujarat
* Industrial Carbons Pvt. Ltd.,Ankleshwar
* Shreema Chemicals P.Ltd.,Himachal Pradesh
* Balaji Chemicals,Karnataka
* Key-Sun Enterprises,Mumbai
* Kemie Industries, Mumbai
* Advance Agro-Tech, Mumbai
* Chandra Chemical Industries,Thane
* Daisy Industries,Thane
* Eurofine Chemicals, Mumbai
* Kan-Carbon (P) Ltd.,Delhi
* United Active Chars (P) Ltd.,Delhi
* Amar Indl. & Fine Chemicals, Punjab
* Brilex Chemicals,Amritsar
* Century Absorbents, Punjab
* Hindustan Indl.Carbon Products,Punjab
* Hosch Industrial Absorbents,Punjab
* Shriram Carbon Sales P.Ltd.,Dist.Hoshiarpur
* Barium International, Rajasthan
* Beta Gama Chemicals (P) Ltd.,Jaipur
* Rajeshwari Industries, Rajasthan
* Dass Rasayanik Carbo Udyog, Uttar Pradesh
* Jains Carbons (P) Ltd.,U.P
* Unicarbons & Chemicals, Ghaziabad
* Arunodaya Industrial Corpn.,Calcutta
* Global Enterprises, Calcutta
* International Chemical Agenices, Calcutta
* The Smitaja Chemicals P.Ltd., West Bengal
Important producers in South India

* Metroblue Industries
P.B. No.5, 1, Quarry Road,
Evergreen Nagar, Thirupparam Kundram,
Madurai-625 005

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Factory : 153, Kodumudi Road
Perumal Pudur, Muthur-638 105,
Erode Dist.

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Indo German Carbon Ltd., has put up a joint venture with Kerala State Industrial
Development Corporation Ltd., (KSIDC), for 2500 tonnes per annum Activated carbon
plant with technology from Carbo Consult, Germany at a project cost of around Rs.15
crores at Kochi in Kerala. The company is promoted by Galfar India Group and KSIDC.

Indian installed capacity

Around 60,000 tonnes per annum

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4.2. Export Details

4.2.1. Present Export Level Around 3300 tonnes per annum

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35000
32500

30000

25000
in tonnes per annum

20000

Demand
15000

10000
6100
3300
5000 2700
1750 1550

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Monohydrate/

Export Sector
Pharmaceutical

Vegetable Oil
Plasticisers

Miscellaneous
Dextrose
Glucose/

Sorbitol

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Granular Carbon
25%

Powder Carbon
75%

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Activated carbon can be produced from any carbonaceous material, which on activation attain
porous structure and consequently a large surface area.

Raw materials such as wool, lignite, woods, coconut-shells, agricultural waste like bagasse, rice
husk are generally used for the manufacture of Activated carbons. Raw materials having high
carbon and low ash content are preferred.

Coconut shell has been found to be most suitable raw material for making gas adsorption grade
Activated carbon.

The shell char is activated with direct steam and fired with liquid fuel in temperature of 1000 to
12000 deg.C in specially designed rotary kiln in controlled conditions to obtain granulated
activated carbon.

Process flowsheet for Activated carbon from Coconut shells by steam activated process

Raw coconut shells (halfs) (Ap. 100 to 150 mm size)

Crushing (3 mm to 4 mm size)

Carbonisation (500 to 600 deg.C)

Cooling

Steam activation (1000 to 1200 deg.C)

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Source of technology

* Indian Institute of Chemical Technology,

Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad-500 007.
Telefax : 040-7160387, 7160757, 7193461
Website : www.iictindia.org

Major plant and machinery and suppliers

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8.1 Raw Material Requirement

1000 kg of raw coconut shells yield about 100 kgs of vapour grade activated carbon.

Utility

Fuel 400 litres

Power 1240 units

8.2 Raw material availability

The coconut shell availability depends upon production level of coconut in the country.

In view of the extensive coconut plantations available in India, there is unlikely to be any
problem in procurement of the coconut shell for the project.

All India estimate of Coconut production

States/Union Territories Area (000 hectares) Percentage share Production

(million nuts)
Andhra Pradesh 101.7 5.72 1051.8
Assam 20.2 1.14 150.1
Goa 25 1.41 121.6
Karnataka 320.6 18.03 1670.3
Kerala 899.1 50.58 5167
Maharashtra 15.1 0.85 226.7
Orissa 29 1.63 163.3
Tamil Nadu 304 17.10 3222
Tripura 9.1 0.51 7.5
West Bengal 24.2 1.36 324.3
A&N Islands 24.7 1.39 87.5
Lakshadweep 2.8 0.16 28.3
Pondicherry 2.2 0.12 31.2
All India 1777.7 100 12251.6
Demand for Activated Carbon: Around 0.5 million tonnes per annum

Major Producing Countries The Philippines and Sri Lanka are

the major producers and exporters
of Activated Carbon.

Sri Lanka has increased its export

volume of Activated Carbon to
around 10,000 tonnes per annum.

Growth rate in Demand 2% to 3%

Global Capacity : According to Roskill, capacity expansions

worldwide exceeded 65,000 tonnes per year in the
nineties with more than 30,000 tonnes coming
onstream in Asia. and the US. Competition from
Chinese and Southeast Asian producers is strong.
International Manufacturers

Norit and Chemviron accounts for 70% of Western Europe production and Ceca accounts
for 13%.

Important International manufacturers include the following :

* FACA SA, Argentina
* CDF Chimie-Societe Chimique des Charbonnages, France
* Chemviron Carbon Ltd.,UK
* Degussa AG, Germany
* ICI Specialty Chemicals, Germany
* Mitsui Pharmaceuticals Inc.,Japan
* Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals Inc.,Japan
* Philippine Japan Activated Carbon Corp., Manila
* China Active Carbon Co.Ltd., Taiwan
* Taiwan Active Carbon Industry Co.Ltd., Taipei
* Win Chain Enterprises Co.Ltd., Taipei
* Chemitreat Pvt. Ltd., Singapore
* Singapore Activated Carbon Pte. Ltd., Singapore
* Haycarb Limited, Colombo
* Jacobi Carbon Ltd.,UK
* Norit Americas, Inc.,USA
* Sutcliffe Speakman Carbon Ltd.,UK
* Waterlink Sutcliffe Carbons, UK
* Activated Carbon Resources Inc, USA
* Calgon Carbon Corp., USA
* Carbochem Inc., USA

Global use pattern

Use In %
Solvent recovery 25.6
Automotive/gasoline recovery 23.3
Industrial offgas control 18.2
Catalysts 15.4
Pressure swing separation 6.3
Air conditioning 2.8
Gas mask 2.8
Cigarette filters 2.8
Nuclear 2.8
Economic capacity : 300 tonnes per annum

Project cost : Rs.142 lakhs

Assessment of project cost

1. Land

S.No. Description Cost

Rs.in lakhs
1.1 Cost of land of one acre at Rs.5.5 lakh per acre 5.5

1.2 Cost of levelling, laying internal roads/fencing and 0.55

Compound wall

Subtotal 6.05

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S.No. Description Cost

Rs.in lakhs
2.1 Factory building of area 420 sq.m. at Rs.3200/sq.m. 13.44
2.2 Non-factory building of area 80 sq.m.at Rs.4500/sq.m. 3.6
Subtotal 17.04

Cost of Plant & Machinery

S.No. Description Cost

Rs.in lakhs
3.1 Cost of basic plant and machinery 41
3.2 Instrumentation and control 3.08
3.3 Pipelines and valves 4.1
3.4 Structurals for erection 2.05
Subtotal 50.23
3.5 Octroi, excise duty, sales tax, etc.at 12% 6.03
3.6 Packaging and insurance charges (2%) 1

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3.7 Transportation charges (2%) 1
3.8 Machinery stores and spares (2%) 1
3.9 Foundation charges (2%) 1
3.10 Installation charges (2%) 1
Total cost of plant and Machinery 61.27

4. Technical know-how fees Rs. 2.5 lakhs

5. Miscellaneous fixed assets

S.No. Description Cost

Rs.in lakhs
5.1. Electrification 4.8
5.2. Steam boiler and auxillaries 2.8
5.3. Water storage tank, borewell etc. 1.7
5.4. Fuel storage tank 2.8
5.5. Laboratory equipment 2.5
5.6. Office machinery & equipment 3
5.7. Material handling equipment, packaging machinery, 3.5
Weigh balance, etc.
5.8. Diesel generator 4.4
5.9. Effluent treatment 1.3
Total 26.8

6. Preliminary & Pre-operative expenses:

S.No. Description Cost

Rs.in lakhs
6.1. Preliminary expenses 0.7
6.2. Pre-operative expenses:-
6.2.1 Establishment 1.4
6.2.2 Rent rates and taxes 0.8
6.2.3 Travelling expenses 2.6
6.2.4 Interest and commitment charges on borrowings 5
6.2.5 Insurance during construction period 1.7
6.2.6 Other preoperative expenses and deposits -
6.2.7 Interest on deferred payment -
Total 12.2

7. Provision for contingency Rs.7.71 lakhs

8. Working capital margin Rs.8.91 lakhs

9. Total project cost Rs.142.lakhs

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10. Means of Finance

Promoter's contribution Rs.57 lakhs

Term loan from financing institutions Rs.85 lakhs
Total project cost Rs.142 lakhs

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Activated Carbon finds wide spread applications in variety of growth oriented sectors.
Therefore, the demand for the product is likely to go up steadily in the coming years.

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There is no feasibility of applications for the product becoming obsolete in the

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The production of Activated carbon from Coconut Shell Charcoal is viewed as providing
superior end properties. Therefore, Activated Carbon produced from Coconut Shell is
preferred all over the world. India has number of advantages in view of the abundant
availability of Coconut shell for the production of Activated Carbon.

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The technology for the production of Activated Carbon is fairly wellknown in the
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to get a fair share in the market and also enter into the export market in significant way.